An element-free Galerkin method for 3D crack propagation simulation under complicated stress conditions

作者：Hu Yunjin; Yang Zhenjun^*

来源：International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, 2012, 91(12): 1251-1263.

DOI：10.1002/nme.4310

• element-free Galerkin method
• three-dimensional crack propagation
• moving least-squares approximation
• stress intensity factors

This study develops an element-free Galerkin method based on the moving least-squares approximation to trace three-dimensional crack propagation under complicated stress conditions. The crack surfaces are modelled by a collection of planar triangles that are added when cracks propagate. The visibility criterion is adopted to treat the screening effect of the cracks on the influenced domain of a Gaussian point. Cracks are assumed to propagate in the perpendicular planes at crack front points when the strain energy release rates reach the material fracture toughness. This method is unique in that it uses a nonlinear contact iterative algorithm to consider contributions of crack surface interaction to the global equilibrium equations, so that crack opening, sliding and closing under complicated stress states can be efficiently modelled. Two numerical examples of three-dimensional quasi-static crack propagation were modelled with satisfactory results.

• 出版日期2012-9-21
• 单位浙江大学